Waikiki Pictures

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Dreamer

Your daughter is very pretty Nords.

Thanks! She enjoyed surfing with us and only snaked our waves a couple times.

Originally Posted by kcowan

The body surfing beach (Waimea?) was a destination for a bunch of us on a trip there. After being in the surf for over an hour and catching many waves, one of our gang was caught in a rip tide. The lifeguard came out to save him.

Surfers love rips-- it's a great way to get back out to the lineup without actually having to work for it. But rips can be pretty frightening without a board or without experience at using them.

"Baywatch" notwithstanding, Hawaii lifeguards have learned to be aggressive and will start a rescue when they see someone heading toward trouble, let alone actually in trouble. They probably had an eye on everyone within 20 feet of that rip and didn't hesitate to practice their rescue techniques. The veterans on the North Shore know most of the water people by sight and won't be shy about ordering everyone else to the parking lot or even across the street. 30-35 feet on the North Shore is best watched from a bluff or a webcam, unless you're Laird Hamilton. (Heck, the lookielookie traffic will keep you from getting there in person anyway.) Big-wave surfers aren't known for mental stability, let alone sanity, and guys like Laird still manage to stand out as wild-eyed danger-seeking Evel-Knievel deathwish types even among the surfer crowd. Their home shore break, without personal waterjets, is Waimea.

Originally Posted by kcowan

We all returned to the sand to help with his recovery. In chatter with the lifeguard we asked him how many people got in trouble. He said that there was al least one broken neck or broken back each day.
After that we stayed on the beach to suntan! 8)

Uhm, no, but the lifeguards achieved their goal of making the beach safer for you and less work for them.

I have no idea of the real numbers but I only read of a half-dozen water deaths per year (if that) and maybe a dozen serious injuries. Judging from our local media on other safety issues, if back/neck injuries were more common then the media would be all over the lifeguards and the state.

The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau does work very hard to spin the dangers & injuries, and so do the local visitor industries. My spouse, a meteorologist, has frequently watched the political slugfests that arise from even a forecast of extended rain or small-craft warnings. But by the same token any type of consipracy or coverup would be gleefully reported by muckraking journalists & bloggers. So I think the reporting is pretty accurate.

The most common causes of death tend to be drowning after heart attacks or unconsciousness (head injuries). IMO the most notable is the teenager who straddled Blowhole, a mental image that makes every guy wince. (For everyone else, imagine Yosemite Sam looking down the barrel of his rifle while testing it.) The "most dangerous" beach in the state is Sandy's because its steep shore break is popular with boogieboarders & bodysurfers. Waimea & White Plains have pretty hard shore breaks, too, and those breaks attract a lot of people who otherwise think of themselves as "safe". The vast majority of the beaches are most notorious for sunburns, so maybe that lifeguard didn't help so much after all.

I've seen survey statistics that as many as a third of Hawaii's surfers can't actually swim a crawlstroke. They've never had a formal swimming lesson, let alone water-survival training, and they depend on their board to keep them out of buoyancy trouble. Waimea is one of the last big-wave beaches to actually be surfed. Woody Browne survived a closeout water exit at Waimea (on wooden "caveman" boards) in the 1940s but his surf buddy was killed, so Waimea wasn't even surfed until the late 1950s. Today it's fully scheduled for winter surfing competitions including the Eddie Aikau, who among other accomplishments was one of Waimea's first lifeguards. So having one's first bodysurfing experience at Waimea is like starting a mountain-climbing career at Everest or taking up hiking by starting at Pike's Peak.

Waimea is a legendary and beautiful beach, but with the crowds I think it's become unsurfable and darn near unviewable. Like Waikiki it's one of those things you "have" to do before you move on to less-crowded pursuits. I haven't been to Waimea in years, and when I head north to Haleiwa I usually turn west (toward Waialua & Mokuleia) instead of east, or take the bypass road around Haleiwa. There's over 200 beaches in the state and better places to spend a few entertaining hours.

BTW Al seemed to be staying at one of the best "local" hotels I've seen in a long time, and it's in a class of lodgings that have all but disappeared from Waikiki. The manager let me park my car in the lot for over three hours just because we were carrying our boards, and she even turned down a $20 bribe. I can vouch that at just about every other parking area on Kalia & Kalakaua the answer is "Sorry, sir, you have to take your car somewhere else", and for Queens it's quite a walk. A friendly place like the Circle is a bargain at $150/night, especially considering that most Waikiki vacationers don't use many of the resort's services. A Hilton or a Marriott is a great place for a spa vacation or a family vacation with young kids around the pool, sure, but the Waikiki Circle is a great place at an unbeatable price for people who just use hotels as a place to rest between other activities.

[JPatrick]

Originally Posted by kcowan

The body surfing beach (Waimea?) was a destination for a bunch of us on a trip there. After being in the surf for over an hour and catching many waves, one of our gang was caught in a rip tide. The lifeguard came out to save him.

We all returned to the sand to help with his recovery. In chatter with the lifeguard we asked him how many people got in trouble. He said that there was al least one broken neck or broken back each day.

DD was an ER nurse in Honolulu until just recently, and along with tourist heart attacks her best customers were surfers who had been slammed. In fact, when we were there in late December a "Pro" surfer had recently died in the ER from his injuries.
Did you know him Nords?

[WanderALot]

The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau does work very hard to spin the dangers & injuries, and so do the local visitor industries.

DW and I have a picture of the warning signs on the Napali coast hike. It's quite amusing, there are about 10 different warning signs on ONE signpost all warning hikers about the same thing ("Flooding Danger", "High water danger", "Rocks are wet and slippery!")

Nords, are you using a Micra to cut that pineapple!?

EDIT: typo

[Nords]

Originally Posted by JPatrick

DD was an ER nurse in Honolulu until just recently, and along with tourist heart attacks her best customers were surfers who had been slammed. In fact, when we were there in late December a "Pro" surfer had recently died in the ER from his injuries.
Did you know him Nords?

Warren Bolster, the photographer who committed suicide? I've seen his pictures but I don't think I ever met him.

Originally Posted by WanderALot

DW and I have a picture of the warning signs on the Napali coast hike. It's quite amusing, there are about 10 different warning signs on ONEgnpost all warning hikers about the same thing ("Flooding Danger", "High water danger", "Rocks are wet and slippery!")

It's getting a little out of hand. There was a lot of indignation that Blowhole didn't have warning signs to keep teen boys from... well, from doing anything that they'd regard as worthwhile, assuming that they'd pause to read the signs in the first place. So the state avoids the threat of litigation by putting up signs.

In the spirit of REWahoo I could run on about all of Hawaii's deathly attractions: tsunami, earthquakes, live volcanoes, hurricanes, slippery hiking ridges, mudslides, avalanches, hepatitis, leptospirosis, dengue fever, rusty hotel balcony railings, brown scorpions, feral pigs, and Don Ho...

Originally Posted by WanderALot

Nords, are you using a Micra to cut that pineapple!?

I'm not sure, I borrowed it from Trombone Al. It was safe to use because it didn't have a warning sign!

[TromboneAl]

are you using a Micra to cut that pineapple!?

The knife is a Gerber -- one of those leatherman types. I keep one in each car.

[WanderALot]

In the spirit of REWahoo I could run on about all of Hawaii's deathly attractions: tsunami, earthquakes, live volcanoes, hurricanes, slippery hiking ridges, mudslides, avalanches, hepatitis, leptospirosis, dengue fever, rusty hotel balcony railings, brown scorpions, feral pigs, and Don Ho...

You forgot:

- $500 fines for touching endangered turtles
- Sharks!
- Overweight tourists wearing minimal clothing

[Nords]

Originally Posted by WanderALot

You forgot:

REW, I think I just heard a gauntlet hit the deck...

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by Nords

REW, I think I just heard a gauntlet hit the deck...

Don't make me post my "Why Texans can't wear Bermuda shorts" photo...

[linkerbink]

The photos were great...brought back memories of my time stationed there (35 years ago at FICPAC on NavSta Pearl, when it was still located on Ford Island). I went back in 2000 and looked all over for Ft. DeRussy....until I realized that the huge high-rise on the site of the old WWII-type buildings is the NEW Ft. DeRussy. Had brunch on the lanai there one day...very nice, although I did like the original restaurant...lots of "old Hawaiian" character. One of these days I'll get back, as my sister wants to visit the other islands and see the volcanoes. Thanks for the memories!!

[virginia]

Wow- congratulations. That looks like a great trip! It's cool to see you guys and put faces with pictures.
It REALLY makes me miss Hawaii too. I always looked at that hotel, and wondered what it would be like to stay there. It always seemed like it would have the perfect view if you were on the side facing the ocean.
How long did you stay? It seems like you got a lot packed in there.
That's what life is made of, right? Vacations are really worth it.

[Toejam]

Cool pics, TromboneAl! Enjoyed all the photos - makes me want to go back to Hawaii for a vacation, too. I remember the wonderful shaved ice they served (probably still do) at Matsumoto's Drug Store on the North Shore, and the variety of food available in Honolulu. Looks like you, your wife, Nords, and his daughter had a great time. Thanks for sharing!

[TromboneAl]

How long did you stay? It seems like you got a lot packed in there.

We arrived on Tuesday about 5 PM, and left the next Tuesday, 9 PM.

There were a lot of things we planned to do, but didn't get around to. Halfway through the trip we heard a lot of "We'll do that next time."

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Toejam

I remember the wonderful shaved ice they served (probably still do) at Matsumoto's Drug Store on the North Shore

Over 50 years now...

... of course they have a website! http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/

[Nords]

Hey, Al, you missed the show!

http://starbulletin.com/2007/04/08/news/story01.html

In 2000 a rockslide shut down Kamehameha Highway around Waimea Bay for three months. It was so bad that the Marines and the CBs were called in to build a beach road (perforated steel planking) around the slide while the cliff was stabilized and the highway was rerouted. It was pretty cool to drive into the Waimea parking lot, drive right onto the beach, across the stream, and go back up onto the highway on the other side.

The steel beams and chain-link fencing are pretty impressive-- but they weren't enough. They're hoping to reopen Kam Hwy tomorrow...

[TromboneAl]

I remember seeing that fence.

Also, there was something on the news about how cold it was in Hawaii last week.